hopium en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈhoʊ.pi.əm/ (US)
- /ˈhəʊ.pi.əm/ (UK)
- (UK) audio
Etymology
Blend of hope + opium, as though it were a drug; regarding the surface analysis as hope + -ium, see copium § Etymology.
Meanings
-
(colloquial, derogatory, idiomatic, uncountable) A clinging to unreasonable or unfounded hopes.
Hopium can make you see potential in the grimmest set of circumstances.
2016, Tracy Schorn, Leave a Cheater, Gain a Life: The Chump Lady's Survival Guide, Hachette, →ISBN:This way, we might avoid depression, panic, denial, and hopium for good or bad news, any of which renders us more unrealistic, unprepared, and unwell.
2020, Jack Adam Weber, Carolyn Baker, Climate Cure: Heal Yourself to Heal the Planet, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hopeium | alternative | lexicographic |